Jewish Learning

Building Values & Ethics Through Jewish Learning

At the core of our Jewish Studies program and integrated throughout the entire curriculum, is the teaching of values and ethics. Respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the community and world are emphasized in every grade. Wornick students think critically about stories and texts, discussing the implications of choices made by the actors and what that means for the formation of their own identity. They learn about Jewish holidays, traditions, and associated values and practices, as part of studying Jewish customs and within the context of global cultures.

Service learning reflects the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and tzedakah (giving to others). Wornick students participate in service to the community in many different ways and can include Kindergartners raising tzedakah funds for the SPCA, Chavurot projects benefiting homeless shelters, partnering with the PJCC on their Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, and the 7th Grade Tzedakah Project (where students identify a specific world problem, research an organization, volunteer, fundraise, allocate the funds as class, and present them to the nonprofits).

The pervasive focus on ethics and values works synergistically with Wornick’s Social Emotional Learning program, TOOLBOX (™), which supports students' ability to build their emotional intelligence skills.